Huge explosion flattens buildings in Wirral

The site of the suspected gas explosion, where a furniture shop was reduced to rubble: Twitter/ Loydie

A huge explosion has flattened at least one building on the Wirral, injuring dozens of people.

Emergency services rushed to the scene in New Ferry, where a building, believed to be a dance studio, was reduced to rubble at around 9.15pm.

It is not yet clear if anyone was inside the building at the time, but injured people were seen walking to ambulances, according to the Liverpool Echo, one with a "serious head bandage".

North West Ambulance service confirmed one serious casualty was taken to Aintree University Hospital and 23 others described as walking wounded were taken to Arrowe Park and the Countess of Chester hospital.

Most of the casualties are thought to have been customers at a nearby Chinese restaurant. The windows of a pub were also shattered by the blast.

One resident said he believed there were people buried under the rubble.

Lew Hopkins told the Echo: “Some people were under the rubble. It was horrific."

He said people who live near the site were being evacuated because of fears there could be a second blast.

He said: “They evacuated people on the street because they were scared it could happen again.

“They were all forced to evacuate - it was horrible to see.”

Wirral council said it had set up a refuge for people who have been displaced as part of the incident and is working with emergency services at the scene.

Merseyside Fire Service said a suspected gas explosion had caused a building to collapse.